Crop ProtectionPub Date : 2025-10-04DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107432
Ismaele Breckenfeld da Costa , Juliana Farias Machado , Marieli Teresinha Guerrezi Sachet , Gilvan Ferreira da Silva , Thiago Fernandes Sousa , Ingride Jarline Santos da Silva , Edvan Alves Chagas , Talison Eugenio da Costa , Ioná Santos Araújo Holanda , Kedma da Silva Matos
{"title":"Neopestalotiopsis formicidarum causing leaf spots on Myciaria dubia, Eugenia stipitata and Psidium acutangulum in Brazil","authors":"Ismaele Breckenfeld da Costa , Juliana Farias Machado , Marieli Teresinha Guerrezi Sachet , Gilvan Ferreira da Silva , Thiago Fernandes Sousa , Ingride Jarline Santos da Silva , Edvan Alves Chagas , Talison Eugenio da Costa , Ioná Santos Araújo Holanda , Kedma da Silva Matos","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107432","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107432","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Camu-camu (<em>Myrciaria dubia</em>), araçá-boi (<em>Eugenia stipitata</em>), and araçá-pera (<em>Psidium acutangulum</em>) are Myrtaceae species native to the Amazon region. Their fruits have multiple industrial applications, particularly in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors. Since 2020, leaf spot symptoms have been frequently observed on these fruit trees in both native and cultivated areas in northern Brazil. This study aimed to identify the etiological agent associated with leaf spots on camu-camu, araçá-boi and araçá-pera in the state of Roraima through morphological characterization and multilocus phylogenetic analysis. Twelve isolates of the genus <em>Neopestalotiopsis</em> were obtained from symptomatic leaf tissues. Based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses of the combined internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the transcription elongation factor 1-α (<em>tef1</em>) and partial sequences of the β-tubulin gene (<em>tub2</em>), the isolates were identified as <em>Neopestalotiopsis formicidarum</em> (syn <em>N. formicarum</em>). Three isolates were used in pathogenicity assay and inoculated into seedlings of <em>M. dubia</em>, <em>E. stipitata</em>, and <em>P. acutangulum</em>, causing small brown to black leaf spots that expanded and coalesced into larger necrotic lesions. This is the first report of <em>N. formicidarum</em> causing leaf spot on camu-camu, araçá-boi and araçá-pera in Brazil. Our study should be helpful for better understanding of the species <em>N. formicidarum</em> that represents a potential threat to the cultivation of these fruit trees, and will be useful for effective strategies for prevention and control this disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107432"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145261877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Crop ProtectionPub Date : 2025-10-03DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107433
Renato Ricciardi , Giovanni Benelli , Matthew P. Daugherty , Gregory S. Simmons , Filippo Di Giovanni , Andrea Lucchi
{"title":"Evaluation of multi-lure sex pheromone traps for simultaneous monitoring of five grapevine moth pests","authors":"Renato Ricciardi , Giovanni Benelli , Matthew P. Daugherty , Gregory S. Simmons , Filippo Di Giovanni , Andrea Lucchi","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107433","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107433","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grape is currently cultivated on over 7 million hectares worldwide and is frequently exposed to arthropod pest invasions. Developing efficient and cost-effective monitoring methods is crucial for the bio-surveillance of key grapevine moth pests, including invasive species, and for implementing integrated pest management programs. In this study, five vine-damaging moth species, i.e., <em>Lobesia botrana</em>, <em>Eupoecilia ambiguella</em>, <em>Argyrotaenia ljungiana</em>, <em>Cryptoblabes gnidiella</em> and <em>Paralobesia viteana</em> (Lb, Ea, Al, Cg, and Pv), were simultaneously monitored using traps baited with single synthetic sex pheromones, paired combinations of pheromones, and a combination of all five pheromones. The field trials were conducted in three different wine-growing regions (i.e. Northern, Central, and Southern Italy) over two years. Results suggest that some combinations of sex pheromones are more effective than others in catching the target species. Of note, multispecies traps could be used for simultaneous monitoring of <em>C. gnidiella, L. botrana</em> and <em>A</em>. <em>ljungiana</em>, with only a modest reduction in captures for some of these target moth species and these could be incorporated into multiple species surveillance programs. Overall, this research provides useful data to design and optimize the efficacy of multilure traps for advanced monitoring of key vine-damaging moths.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107433"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145261906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Crop ProtectionPub Date : 2025-10-02DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107429
Alba Vigo-Morancho , María Videgain , Sergio Artero , Mariano Vidal , Francisco César Páez-Cano , Julián Sánchez-Hermosilla , Francisco Javier García-Ramos
{"title":"Electrostatic technology for pesticide application. Prototype characterization and validation in super-intensive olive crops","authors":"Alba Vigo-Morancho , María Videgain , Sergio Artero , Mariano Vidal , Francisco César Páez-Cano , Julián Sánchez-Hermosilla , Francisco Javier García-Ramos","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrostatic technology for agricultural crops has been studied in recent decades to improve pesticide deposition by applying voltage to droplets, which maximizes the amount of product reaching the deepest areas of the canopy through attractive forces. However, few studies perform a comprehensive laboratory characterization of a sprayer followed by field validation in order to explore the possibility of reduced amount of chemicals, specifically for super-intensive olive cultivation.</div><div>This study aimed to conduct a laboratory evaluation of an electrostatic sprayer prototype designed for three-dimensional hedge crops and validate its performance through field experiments. Sprayer configurations associated with activated or deactivated electrostatic system (ES vs. NES, respectively) were tested. The characterization included airflow evaluation, product distribution profile, charge-to-mass ratio (CMR) quantification, and deposition trials, varying application parameters such as liquid pressure, airflow setup, and distance under controlled environmental conditions. A differentiation between adaxial and abaxial areas of the artificial target during deposition assays was also carried out. Finally, field trials compared the electrostatic sprayer to conventional application methods, providing practical insights into pesticide reduction efficiency. Laboratory results showed no differences in flow rate (L min<sup>−1</sup>) between ES and NES configurations at any tested pressure. The total accumulated volume from the vertical distribution profile showed variations associated with airflow configuration and liquid pressure as a function of distance. Deposition results revealed higher coverage and deposition when the electrostatic system was activated, regardless of distance or height, with a 70 % increase in abaxial areas compared to the NES. Field trials in super-intensive olive orchards revealed good performance in terms of coverage and deposition on artificial receptors and leaves after application with the electrostatic equipment, particularly at the highest application dose (163.3 L ha<sup>−1</sup>) compared to the conventional spraying (466.3 L ha<sup>−1</sup>), highlighting a 60 % reduction in application volume. Additionally, ground losses were significantly lower with the electrostatic sprayer, as coverage and deposition at the base of the trunk were substantially reduced compared to conventional equipment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107429"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Crop ProtectionPub Date : 2025-10-02DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107430
Yunhe Zhang , Fan Wang , Xiaotong Zhou , Wenhui Zhang , Ziyu Hu , Hengqiu Jia , Zhaotan Li , Xiaoxiao Zhang , Donghai Zhang , Zhiping Cai
{"title":"Plant volatiles from Mentha haplocalyx repel Grapholita molesta and decrease the infestation rate of apple fruits","authors":"Yunhe Zhang , Fan Wang , Xiaotong Zhou , Wenhui Zhang , Ziyu Hu , Hengqiu Jia , Zhaotan Li , Xiaoxiao Zhang , Donghai Zhang , Zhiping Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107430","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107430","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Grapholita molesta</em> is a globally prevalent fruit-boring pest characterized by its overlapping generations, resulting in annual economic losses. <em>Mentha haplocalyx</em>, as a functional plant, exhibits effective pest-repelling properties against a range of pests. To date, no studies have investigated the repellent effects of <em>M. haplocalyx</em> on <em>G. molesta</em>. through both field and laboratory investigations, <em>M. haplocalyx</em> reduced <em>G. molesta</em> fruit infestation from 33.00 % to 9.67 % in the field and from 77.78 % to 56.67 % in the laboratory. In the behavioral response experiment, the repellency rate of <em>M. haplocalyx</em> against 1-day-old unmated male and female <em>G. molesta</em> adults exceeded 80 %. Eight and five compounds that elicited electroantennographic detection responses in female and male <em>G. molesta</em> adults, respectively, were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The electroantennogram responses revealed that all of the tested active compounds elicited antennal sensitivity. The olfactory behavioral response experiments revealed that among the 8 electroantennographic detection active compounds tested in female adults, 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one (0.1, 1, and 10 μL/mL), ether (0.1 μL/mL), 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (0.1 and 1 μL/mL), ethyl 3-methyl-2-butenoate (1 μL/mL), decanal (1 μL/mL), p-xylene (1 and 10 μL/mL), and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (10 μL/mL) exhibited significant repellent effects on female <em>G. molesta</em> adults, but decamethylcyclopentasiloxane did not demonstrate tropism at all of the tested concentrations. In male adults, ethyl isovalerate (0.1, 1, and 10 μL/mL), benzoylthiocarbimide (0.1 μL/mL), ethyl carbonate (0.1 and 1 μL/mL), nonanal (0.1 and 1 μL/mL), and 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one (1 and 10 μL/mL) showed significant repellent effects. This study proposes an innovative intercropping strategy that can effectively suppress <em>G. molesta</em>, thereby providing valuable insights for sustainable and eco-friendly pest management in agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107430"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145261781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Context-specific impacts of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) on single maize plant productivity in northern Togo: Insights from a two-year on-farm study","authors":"Nazer Famah Sourassou , Emmanuel Kombieni , Efoué Koussougbo , Atti Tchabi , Dahouda Djele , Komla Sanda","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107431","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107431","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A 2-year study was conducted to assess the impact of <em>Spodoptera frugiperda</em> (J.E. Smith) infestation on the productivity of individual maize plant under smallholder farming conditions in three regions of northern Togo. The productivity was evaluated using four parameters: ear length, ear diameter, ear weight, and grain yield per plant. In 2021, data were collected from 23 smallholder farms in the Kara region, and in 2022, the study was expanded to 133 smallholder farms across the Kara, Centrale, and Savanes regions. Each farm included a paired comparison between 50 FAW-infested and 50 uninfested maize plants, selected within the smallest possible radius to ensure similar agronomic and environmental conditions. Overall, the impact of FAW infestation on maize plant productivity was <strong>not uniform</strong>, but <strong>varied across both parameters and regions</strong>. In 2021, although 60.9 % of farms (14 out of 23) showed lower grain yield per cob in infested plants, the difference was not statistically significant. In 2022, significant reduction in grain yield per cob was observed in Centrale region, marginally not in Kara region, and not at all in Savanes region. Ear length and ear weight were significantly reduced in Centrale and Kara but showed no difference in Savanes region. Ear diameter remained largely unaffected across all regions. Notably, no significant correlation was found between foliar damage level and grain yield per plant, indicating that visual damage scores may not reliably predict productivity losses. These results underscore the <strong>complex and context-specific nature</strong> of FAW impact on individual maize plant productivity under smallholder farming conditions. The variability across both yield components and geographic regions highlights the need for <strong>localized, evidence-based FAW management strategies</strong> rather than one-size-fits-all recommendations. Further research is needed to refine decision-making tools for African smallholder maize systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107431"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Crop ProtectionPub Date : 2025-09-30DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107427
I.K. Das , R. Madhusudhana , Baswaraj R , V.M. Gholve , M.R. Govindappa , N. Kannababu , G. Girish
{"title":"Stability analyses of charcoal rot resistance and yield-related traits in post-rainy sorghum genotypes using AMMI and MTSI in multi-environment trials","authors":"I.K. Das , R. Madhusudhana , Baswaraj R , V.M. Gholve , M.R. Govindappa , N. Kannababu , G. Girish","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Charcoal rot (CR), caused by <em>Macrophomina phaseolina</em>, is the most economically significant soil-borne disease of sorghum in many countries. The disease is highly influenced by the environment and known to be severe in high-yielding cultivars. Therefore, developing a CR resistant cultivar combined with high yield is challenging. Information on the relationship between traits associated with CR resistance and yield is lacking. This multi-environment study analysed genetic variation and relationships among the major traits associated with CR resistance—namely, CR index (CRI), CR lesion length (LL), and lodging (LOG); and yield—namely, grain yield (GY), stover yield (SY), and harvest index (HI) in popular post-rainy (Rabi) sorghum cultivars in India. The objective was to identify cultivar(s) that balance(s) stability and performance for both CR resistance and yield traits for pan-India presence. Eight cultivars were evaluated in replicated field trials across eight environments in India during the post-rainy seasons of 2018–2020. Most of the traits showed significant positive correlations with each other (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Environment-wise individual analysis of variance indicated significant variations for all traits in nearly all environments. The additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis of variance revealed highly significant (p < 0.001) genotypic (G), environmental (E), and G × E interaction effects for all the traits. Based on performance on mean and stability, the top two genotypes in AMMI analysis were CSV26 and CSV29R. Analysis using the multi-trait stability index (MTSI) identified the cultivar CSV26 for combined performance on mean and stability, as well as stability alone, whereas CSV29R was identified for performance on mean alone. Among the eight tested cultivars, CSV26 was identified as the best genotype for performance on mean and stability in AMMI analysis, multi-trait stability index (MTSI) analysis, and based on predicted mean values in best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP). CSV26 will serve as an important source material for developing stable sorghum cultivars for pan-India performance. The simultaneous use of data analysis methods, namely AMMI, MTSI, and BLUP, would be highly beneficial for plant breeders, enhancing the precision of selecting superior genotypes from multi-environment trials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107427"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145261782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Crop ProtectionPub Date : 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107426
Menghao Zhang , Hongchun Yv , Changchun Dai , Yanhui Lu
{"title":"Contamination by systemic insecticide harms the dispersal ability of the lady beetle Hippodamia variegata","authors":"Menghao Zhang , Hongchun Yv , Changchun Dai , Yanhui Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The lady beetle <em>Hippodamia variegata</em> (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a generalist predator in Xinjiang, China, preying on aphids such as <em>Aphis gossypii</em> (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and other arthropods in agricultural ecosystems. Imidacloprid, the most widely used neonicotinoid insecticide globally, is commonly used to manage sucking pests such as aphids; however, it can have detrimental sublethal effects on some natural enemies. The development of IPM programs against pests requires an evaluation of the side effects of insecticides on important natural enemies. We found that exposure to aphids treated with sublethal levels of imidacloprid (LC<sub>20</sub> and LC<sub>50</sub>) reduced longevity, fecundity, and flight performance of <em>H. variegata</em> adults. Specifically, exposure to aphids treated at the LC<sub>50</sub> level reduced the flight distance and flight duration of the lady beetle by 81.9 % and 78.5 %, respectively, compared with the control group. Carbohydrate metabolism in lady beetles fed aphids in the LC<sub>20</sub> and LC<sub>50</sub> groups was significantly impaired, leading to higher trehalose and glycogen content compared to beetles in the control group that were fed untreated aphids. Moreover, the activity of metabolism enzymes was significantly reduced, although there was no significant effect on the levels of metabolism enzymes. In mark-release-recapture experiments conducted in cotton fields, sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid significantly reduced the dispersal distance of these beetles during the first two days after release. These results demonstrate that sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid have a negative impact on the flight dispersal ability of <em>H. variegata</em>, which could impair the regional biological control services provided by this predator.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107426"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Crop ProtectionPub Date : 2025-09-20DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107407
Antoine Pichon , Stephen Byrne , Sheila Alves , Eamon Nolan , Louise McNamara
{"title":"Evidence of Pyrethroid Resistance in the bruchid beetle, Bruchus rufimanus, in Ireland","authors":"Antoine Pichon , Stephen Byrne , Sheila Alves , Eamon Nolan , Louise McNamara","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Bruchus rufimanus</em> Boh. (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae) is a significant pest of <em>Vicia faba</em> L. (faba bean), adversely affecting yield and grain quality. The primary control method currently employed against this pest involves the application of a pyrethroid insecticide when the initial bean pods emerge in the field and the temperature reaches 20 °C for two consecutive days. However, potential resistance to pyrethroids has been observed in <em>B. rufimanus</em> populations in Europe. This study provides substantial evidence for resistance to a pyrethroid λ-cyhalothrin in an Irish population of <em>B. rufimanus.</em> The results demonstrate resistance with an LD50 of 114 % compared to the maximum individual dose allowed of 7.5g a.i./ha. The mechanism of resistance involves metabolic resistance, as evidenced by an increase in the efficacy of λ-cyhalothrin when combined with Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO), a synergist that inhibits detoxifying enzymes. Additionally, the population was examined for the L1014F mutation in the VGSC gene, which is responsible for most cases of pyrethroid resistance in Chrysomelidae, and no L1014F mutation was identified. Our results describe for the first time the presence of pyrethroid resistance in <em>B. rufimanus</em> in Ireland. This work emphasises the difficulties in controlling <em>B. rufimanus</em> with insecticide and highlights the requirement to study the evolution of resistance in populations to provide an appropriate management strategy to growers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107407"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Crop ProtectionPub Date : 2025-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107411
Petrina McKenzie-Reynolds , Isiaka A. Owolabi , Anju Biswas , Quentin D. Read , Gaelen R. Burke , Amnon Levi , Alvin M. Simmons
{"title":"Wild sources for host plant resistance to Bemisia tabaci in watermelon: insights from behavioral and chemical analyses","authors":"Petrina McKenzie-Reynolds , Isiaka A. Owolabi , Anju Biswas , Quentin D. Read , Gaelen R. Burke , Amnon Levi , Alvin M. Simmons","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107411","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107411","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Whitefly infestations, primarily due to <em>Bemisia tabaci</em> (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), pose a serious threat to watermelon production, leading to significant yield losses and increased reliance on chemical pesticides. In this study, genotypes of the desert-watermelon <em>Citrullus colocynthis</em> (L.) Schrader and the cultivated watermelon (<em>C</em>. <em>lanatus</em> (Thunberg) Matsumura & Nakai) were evaluated for resistance to <em>B. tabaci</em> using oviposition and vertical Y-tube olfactometer assays. In addition, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of plant volatiles was conducted. Among 13 wild accessions tested, two received statistically less oviposition, while all wild genotypes demonstrated statistically reduced attraction of adult whiteflies to plant volatiles as compared with a susceptible cultivar. GC-MS analysis identified phenol derivatives and sesquiterpenes as dominant volatiles in the <em>C. colocynthis</em> resistant accessions. The volatile blend of the wild United States Plant Introduction (PI)-542616 was dominated by phenolic derivatives, comprising nearly the entire profile, while PI-386019 released a greater proportion of antioxidant-rich phenolic esters. These differences highlight clear variation in the relative abundance of major chemical classes among accessions of <em>C. colocynthis</em>, which may contribute to differential resistance against <em>B. tabaci</em>. These findings help elucidate the biochemical and volatile-mediated whitefly-resistance mechanisms in <em>C. colocynthis</em>. By integrating resistant germplasm into integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, results from this research will advance sustainable watermelon production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107411"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The whitefly Bemisia tabaci transmits the Pepper yellow leaf curl Indonesia virus to chili plants treated with low-risk insecticides","authors":"Ernawati Djaya , Iftitah Kartika Amaliah , Nurul Arfiani , Melina Melina , Erwin Najamuddin , Nurasiah Djaenuddin , Amran Muis , Ramlah Arief , Muhammad Yasin , Andi Nasruddin","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107424","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107424","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pepper yellow leaf curl Indovnesia virus (PepYLCIV) is a damaging disease of chili that can cause total yield loss. The sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), persistently transmits the virus. The insect can also directly damage chili plants by sucking their sap. The study was conducted to determine the effects of inoculation pressure, insecticide dosage, and application timing on whitefly populations and the incidence and severity of PepYLCIV. The results showed that higher inoculation pressures caused increased whitefly survival rates and viral disease transmission. The efficacy of azadirachtin was found to be dose-dependent, with higher concentrations being more effective in reducing both whitefly survival and virus transmission. In contrast, imidacloprid demonstrated higher efficacy across all tested concentrations, eliminating whiteflies and preventing virus transmission. The timing of insecticide application is a crucial factor influencing vector survival and disease incidence. Longer intervals between application and the inoculation access period (IAP) resulted in diminished efficacy of the insecticides. Azadirachtin and imidacloprid provided effective protection against PepYLCIV for up to 2 and 10 days post-application, respectively. Imidacloprid was effective for immediate vector control, while azadirachtin is effective at higher concentrations. Applying imidacloprid at the action threshold level could rapidly reduce the insect population, followed by azadirachtin application to maintain low population levels. The study results could be incorporated into an integrated management strategy to extend imidacloprid's efficacy against <em>B. tabaci</em> and concomitantly reduce its potential impacts on the environment and non-target organisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 107424"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}